Zomerganzen - Summering geese management and population counts in Flanders, Belgium

Data Records

The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 4,831 records.

1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Devisscher S, Adriaens T, Brosens D, Huysentruyt F, Driessens G, Desmet P (2025). Zomerganzen - Summering geese management and population counts in Flanders, Belgium. Version 1.8. Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). Samplingevent dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/a5ubtp

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). To the extent possible under law, the publisher has waived all rights to these data and has dedicated them to the Public Domain (CC0 1.0). Users may copy, modify, distribute and use the work, including for commercial purposes, without restriction.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 2b2bf993-fc91-4d29-ae0b-9940b97e3232.  Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by Belgian Biodiversity Platform.

Keywords

Samplingevent; invasive alien species; summering geese; monitoring; citizen science; Samplingevent

Contacts

Geographic Coverage

In the initial stages, data from the simultaneous counts of summering geese were gathered at the level of the two westernmost provinces in Flanders (West Flanders, East Flanders), as these were considered in the Invexo and RINSE project's area. These are provincies with high numbers of summering geese, with several species under management (greater Canada goose, Egyptian goose, greylag goose). Here, a set of counting areas with confirmed presence of geese was selected and maintained as the sample study area over the years. Since 2014, management has been upscaled to other provinces. Therefore, counts are organised at the level of the whole Flanders region since.

Taxonomic Coverage

All 20 species (and some subspecies and hybrids) in this dataset belong to the waterfowl family Anatidae. More than 80% of the occurrences are swans and true geese (subfamily Anserinae). Some individuals were not identified to species (e.g. unknown hybrids, eggs).

Temporal Coverage

Sampling Methods

This dataset contains data from several types of goose management as well as monitoring data. Management is performed with one of several methods: - Moult captures: during the moulting period (June-July), when the geese tend to congregate on open water, geese are trapped in large numbers with corral traps. - Larsson trap captures: for Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus). The data are from a floating Larsson-like trap using a live decoy bird. Traps are checked daily for any caught specimens and bycatch. - Fertility reduction: the eggs are mostly pricked with a nail so the animal remains on the nest, sometimes eggs are shaken to destroy the embryo. Monitoring is performed using the following census method: - Simultaneous counts in summer (1st weekend after 15 July, a date which is set in accordance with the regions surrounding Flanders): multiple volunteers from bird working groups (Natuurpunt vzw) perform simultaneous count (within the same weekend) of a list of the more important goose sites (west and east flanders 2009-2013, Flanders since 2014). Counts are coordinated by the ngo Natuurpunt and a citizen science portal (http://waarnemingen.be/waarnemingen_projecten.php?project=231) is used for standardized data input and feedback to volunteers. Only when a site was completely surveyed for all of these species the observation was given the "Simultaneous count" - sample type. - Counts of geese at moulting sites (June 2012): during one day 8 teams of specialists visited every pond in the province of West-Flanders with a surface area of 5 hectares or more in search of groups of moulting geese. Also big streams where inventoried. - Field observations: These contain occurrences from 2 different sources: (1) counts carried out 3 days prior to or after the simultaneous counts weekend within the borders of any of the sites of intrest. These aren't necessarily completely surveyed for all species and should therefore be treated as loose, opportunistic observations, and (2) counts carried out during the simultaneous counts weekend within the borders of any of the sites of intrest but incompletely surveyed for all the species.

Method step description:

1. To allow reliable comparisons between years and areas, the counts are aimed for maximum standardization. Not all areas are counted every year. The aim is a yearly coverage of 65% of the areas. Trend calculations based on these census data therefore requires taking into account area and year effects.

Bibliographic Citations

1. Adriaens T, Huysentruyt F, Devisscher S, Devos K, Casear J (2010) Simultaantelling overzomerende ganzen in Oost- en West- Vlaanderen. Vogelnieuws 15: 4-11.
2. Adriaens T, Huysentruyt F, Onkelinx T, Devisscher S, Devos K & Casaer J (2011) Simultaantelling overzomerende ganzen in Oost- en West- Vlaanderen. Vogelnieuws 17, 24-30
3. Van Daele P, Adriaens T, Devisscher S, Huysentruyt F, Voslamber B, De Boer V, Devos K, Casaer J (2012) Beheer van zomerganzen in Vlaanderen en Zeeuws-Vlaanderen: rapport opgesteld in het kader van het INVEXO - INTERREG project. Rapporten van het Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek INBO.R.2012.58, Brussel, Brussel, 162 blz.
4. Adriaens T, Van Daele P, Huysentruyt F, Devisscher S, Casaer J, Devos K (2012) Junitelling van West-Vlaamse zomerganzen. Vogelnieuws 18, 16-22
5. Adriaens T, Huysentruyt F, Devisscher S, Devos K, Casaer J (2014) Integrated management of invasive geese populations in an international context: a case study in Belgium & The Netherlands. In : Science for the New Regulation, One day Benelux Conference on Invasive Alien Species. 2/04/14 → 2/04/14 - Ghent, België. https://data.inbo.be/pureadmin/files/6391140/Adriaens_etal_2014_IntegratedManagementInvasiveGeesePopulationsInternationalContext.pdf
6. Chapter "Canada geese in Flanders urban areas" In: van Ham C, Genovesi P, Scalera R (2013) Invasive alien species: the urban dimension, Case studies on strengthening local action in Europe. Brussels, Belgium: IUCN European Union Representative Office. 103pp. https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/2013-027.pdf
7. Adriaens T, Huysentruyt F, Standaert S (2014) Controlling invasive geese in the RINSE region: A collaborative endeavor. Bridging the Gap: Working together to tackle invasive non-native species in Europe. RINSE closing conference. 23/09/14 → 23/09/14 - Norwich, Verenigd Koninkrijk. https://www.inbo.be/nl/publicatie/controlling-invasive-geese-rinse-region
8. Adriaens T, Van Daele P, Devisscher S, Huysentruyt F, Voslamber B, De Boer V, Devos K, Casaer J (2013) Integrated management of invasive geese populations in an international context: a case study. IUGB (International Union Of Game Biologists) Congress 2013. 27/08/13 → 29/08/13 - Brussels, België. https://data.inbo.be/purews/files/1156729/O.TL.16_Adriaens.pdf
9. Adriaens T, Huysentruyt F, Devisscher S, Casaer J (2013) Integrated Management of Invasive Geese Populations in an International Context: A Case Study in Belgium & The Netherlands. 2nd International Congress on Biological Invasions - Biological Invasions, Ecological Safety and Food Security. 23/10/13 → 27/11/13 - Qingdao, China. https://www.inbo.be/nl/publicatie/integrated-management-invasive-geese-populations-international-context-1
10. Huysentruyt F, Adriaens T, Devisscher S, Casaer J (2013) Evaluation Of A Large Scale Management Strategy For Summering Geese In Flanders And Zealand (Belgium/the Netherlands). The Wildlife Society 20th Annual Conference. 5/10/13 → 10/10/13 - Milwaukee, WI, Verenigde Staten van Amerika. https://www.inbo.be/nl/publicatie/evaluation-large-scale-management-strategy-summering-geese-flanders
11. Huysentruyt F, Adriaens T, Van Moer K, De Bus K, Casaer J (2014) Catching invasive Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus): Evaluation of the optimal deployment season for a floating Larsen trap. Science for the new regulation Abstractbook: BENELUX Conference on invasive species. Boets, P. (ed.). blz. 33 1 blz. https://www.inbo.be/nl/publicatie/catching-invasive-egyptian-geese-alopochen-aegyptiacus
12. Invexo-Project brochure: 'Minder invasieve planten en dieren, meer biodiversiteit. Invexo-projectbrochure 2009-2012', september 2012. http://www.invexo.be/~/media/Files/Invexo/Invexo20092012ProjectbrochureSept2012.pdf
13. Adriaens T, Huysentruyt F, Van Daele P, Devos K, Casaer J (2014) Evaluatie bescherming en beheer van ganzenpopulaties. Inhoudsevaluatie van natuurbeleid in landbouwgebied: case vogelbeheer en erosiebestrijding. van Gossum, P. (ed.). INBO.R.2012.50 ed. Brussel: Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, blz. 29-41 13 blz. https://www.inbo.be/nl/publicatie/evaluatie-bescherming-en-beheer-van-ganzenpopulaties
14. Groom QJ, Desmet P, Vanderhoeven S, Adriaens T (2015) The importance of open data for invasive alien species research, policy and management. Management of Biological Invasions (2015) Volume 6, Issue 2: 119–125 https://doi.org/10.3391/mbi.2015.6.2.02 https://doi.org/10.3391/mbi.2015.6.2.02

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